The New York Knicks carry a three-game losing streak into tonight's game at Madison Square Garden, and with the 20-9 Oklahoma City Thunder coming to town snapping that streak will not be an easy task.
The Knicks (16-12) won 13 of 14 before falling to Boston and Miami -- the best teams in the Eastern Conference -- and then being upset by the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Thunder are atop the Northwest Division of the Western Conference, and are led by Kevin Durant (27.6 points per game) and Russell Westbrook (22.8 points, 8.4 assists). Amare Stoudemire (26.5 points, 9.4 rebounds per game) and Raymond Felton (18.4 points, nine assists per game) lead the Knicks.
Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has shortened his bench in recent weeks, and Stoudemire (37.8 minutes) and Felton (39.1) are playing heavy minutes. D'Antoni has said he wants to use his reserves more, but "I'm not going to bite my lip to bite it off. They'll have to play well. … It's up to everybody to make me comfortable."
The Bergen Record speculated that smaller deals for a reserve point guard or extra big man could be a high priority for the Knicks.